Could ketamine replace morphine for kids in pain?

NCT ID NCT06835504

Not yet recruiting Symptom relief Sponsor: Columbia University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study compares ketamine to morphine for treating acute pain in children visiting the emergency department. Over 1,000 children with abdominal pain or broken bones will receive either drug. The goal is to see if ketamine works as well as morphine but with fewer side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Ketamine hydrochloride and morphine sulphate
What this could lead to: If ketamine works as well as morphine, it could offer a safer, non-opioid option for managing acute pain in children.
What could go wrong: This is a non-inferiority trial, so ketamine might not be as effective as morphine. Side effects from ketamine are also possible.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Abdominal Pain agnosia anxiety disorder bone fracture Depression Emergencies Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ABDOMINAL PAIN ISOLATED EXTREMITY FRACTURE PAIN PEDIATRICS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Arthur M. Blank Hospital

Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States
Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, 90027, United States
Children's Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States
Nemours Children's Hospital

Wilmington, Delaware, 19803, United States
NewYork Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital

New York, New York, 10032, United States
Seattle Children's Hospital

Seattle, Washington, 98105, United States
UC Davis Children's Hospital

Sacramento, California, 95817, United States
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15224, United States

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